


The Echo

by Aria Serif (Mysterie)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Tearstale, Undertale - Alternate Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:47:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25577542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterie/pseuds/Aria%20Serif
Summary: Frisk wants to break the cycle of being sent back to The Ruins. Something keeps sending them back regardless of how many times they free the monsters... but Frisk hasn't given up and there is a solution to break the cycle, but Sans isn't helping anymore. He doesn't believe Frisk after a genocide run and it's only after a strange message from Toriel does he begin to discover what's going on...
Relationships: Frisk & Alphys, Frisk & Mettaton, Frisk & Papyrus, Frisk & Toriel, Frisk & Undyne, Sans & Frisk, Sans & Papyrus, Toriel & Sans
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	The Echo

**Author's Note:**

> Echo (c) Crusher-P  
> Tearstale (c) Me

**The clock stopped ticking forever ago**

**How long have I been up? I don’t know**

Frisk stared up at the sunlight above the bed of golden flowers, how many times had she done this? It was so hard to remember... even though she could. She was the only human down here, one of only three who remembered anything beyond the resets. Reset. People might think it’d be a great thing to have... to be able to do things over again for a better outcome... but... it wasn’t. It was a curse. Every time she thought she was free... it began again. 

She wasn’t in control. There was someone else... or something else. She didn’t know. She had tried to tell him once, that hadn’t gone well... 

**I can’t get a grip but I can’t let go**

**There wasn’t anything to hold onto so**

He was her confidant. The one she always talked to because he was the only one around who could ever understand anything of what was going on. She got up and brushed herself off. It wouldn’t be too long now, she was onto something... she was sure. She’d been scouring the entirety of the underground looking for it. For a way to get out and stay that way... There had been several times they’d made it out... only for it to start all over again. _There has to be a way..._

**Why can’t I see**

**Why can’t I see**

She rushed past the flower who just sort of sulked there, waiting for a comment. Flowey had run out of things to say really to Frisk and either remained silent or was snide about it. He knew everything, besides Sans. He was the only other monster who remembered. _There has to be a way, I’m sure of it... I almost had it..._

She knew she should tell Sans about this. He understood most of this technical stuff anyway. More than she did despite all the time she’d spent studying all the notes she’d found. All she knew was that this had to succeed. This couldn’t keep going on the way it had been. She didn’t linger long in the Ruins and had hugged Toriel before rushing down the basement and out the door before the goat woman knew what she was up to. 

She didn’t let him start his usual introduction, not that he had done it by this time anyway. He’d stopped saying the same thing after about the 50th time. She launched herself at him for a hug but landed in the snow. He’d side stepped her at the last minute.

“Sans! I have to tell you something!” 

“go away kiddo. you’re ruining the day.”

**All the colors that you see?**

She smiled a little through the tears, despite the icy tone and the cold shoulder he was giving her. Despite that they’d once been friends... so he’d said.

“But it’s im-” 

“really kid? don’t you have anything better to do?” He teleported away. Frisk sighed and headed back towards the door to try and maybe go back into the Ruins for some comfort from Toriel only to find that Sans had beat her there and was joking with Toriel through the door. The two laughing at some stupid puns. Frisk felt it jab her like a knife. He was so warm and caring towards everyone.... Everyone except her. 

_“do you know what would have happened if i hadn’t made that promise?”_ The words rang through her mind even as she noticed he’d spotted her and was giving her an empty socket stare and making a shooing motion. 

_“kid... y o u ‘ d b e d e a d w h e r e y o u s t a n d.”_ She turned and ran, the tears falling faster now. 

  
  


**Please can I be**

**Please can I be**

**Colorful and free?**

She barely remembered arriving at Waterfall, having run past a rather puzzled Papyrus and several other monsters of Snowdin. It didn’t seem to matter. She found herself in the field of echo flowers. When she got close to one she realized that the passing conversation she’d heard wasn’t all that was echoing. She ventured further into the field, not feeling up to facing Undyne at that moment or going back and talking to Papyrus. 

She touched a flower and winced as she heard its words, it was Sans’ voice.

“why hasn’t she freed us yet if she had the power? she’s holding out on us.” He talked to the flowers? Well, that made some sense, what else was he supposed to do since he couldn’t talk to his brother about this? Another nearby spoke up when she backed away from the first.

“i can’t believe she betrayed me like that. how can i trust her after what she’s done?” There were more... 

“i hate her. why can’t she just let us go? what did we ever do to her to deserve this?” 

“i’m never helping her again.” 

“dirty brother killer.”

“traitor, at least now i know to watch out for her.” 

“none of them know the true monster that walks among them.” It didn’t matter that he wasn’t there to say them directly to her face; it still hurt. 

**What the hell’s going on?**

**Can someone tell me please**

**Why I’m changing faster than the channels on TV**

The more she backed away from them the more she heard and she screamed out as the many echo flower voices began to blend together and just when she thought she’d heard it all. There was one that made her choke out a sob as she heard what it had to say.

“why would anyone ever love a monster like that. who sullies the name of monsters.” Did he really think she was undeserving of love instead of LOVE? She curled up, her body shaking as she felt like she was being torn apart all over again, like in some of the battles. Her fingers brushed the edge of her sleeve, grazing a scar. No one knew every wound was still there... somehow. Leaving a mark. The reset didn’t heal them completely, leaving behind reminders of her failure. When she wasn’t quick enough to dodge this attack or that one.

Even Sans had left his mark on her. A fist sized one that lay just under her collar bone where her soul was. She had scrapes from Papyrus, scratching wounds from Mettaton and Flowey, there was also the fist sized one over one lung that had been from Undyne. Fire from Asgore and Toriel had left scarred tissue running over her hands... not that anyone had noticed. 

**I’m black**

**Than I’m white**

**No! Something isn’t right!**

As she sat there in the silence her mind had this conversation with the friend she remembered.

“Hey Sans! Can you help me save everyone? I mean, I’m doing the best I can to get everyone out and I’ve tried everything else. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve done this because I don’t really have a pen or anything to keep track.”

“hey kiddo, i had no idea you’d been doin’ so much for us. can you ever forgive me for being such an awful friend?” She wasn’t sure if it was right or not... but she forgave him. This version of her friend who was begging for her forgiveness... Who wanted to help.... 

“Of course, that’s what friends are for right? They trust each other... they forgive one another... “ She could still hear some of the flowers in the background of her conversation though.

“she’s the real monster.” 

“i’ve been through so many resets... she could have freed us if she really wanted to.” 

**My enemy’s invisible**

**I don’t know how to fight**

“He still believes I’m the one responsible for the resets... even though I’ve gotten them out time after time... My power always disappears with the barrier and yet... he doesn’t believe me...” The first time she’d been able to get them all out, it had taken her a few days; everyone had been happy and ready for the world. She’d asked Toriel to be her mom and she had asked to live with her. Toriel had taken her hand but in a flash, as soon as that had happened, everything was gone and she found herself falling back on the flower bed again. Their happy ending had been ruined... over and over and over again... No matter what she tried to do differently at the end... it still ended with her right back on the flower bed and everyone was back underground.

**The trembling fear**

**Is more than I can take**

“I’m... just a pawn.... Like some play thing for a child...” She murmured, the flower next to her repeated the words.

“she’s a murderer.”

“frisk was supposed to save us.” She felt a heavy weight seem to settle over her. The flowers seeming to accuse her. 

“I’m nothing... I ... I can’t save everyone... I ... maybe it can work... It’s my only option left.” She stood up, her limbs felt heavy, she was exhausted from tears; still, if this is what it took, she’d do it. _If this is what it takes to get him to forgive me for what Chara made me do... to free them from this prison... then so be it..._

**When I am against**

**The Echo in the mirror**

**Echo**

**Echo**

She sighed as she headed to the edge of Snowdin to get at least one last look at the town. She stood there a moment before the reset button appeared. She had made up her mind, after spending so much time in the echo field. 

“leafing so soon?” She had long since stopped jumping when Sans appeared behind her. He had no idea just how grating that was to hear, the sarcasm in his tone... the unfeeling coldness that lay beneath.

“Funny you should say that. I was just thinking that soon the thorn in your side will be gone.” 

“what? what did you do?!” She just gave him a smile through her tears. She reached towards the button before he had time to respond. Everything reset, she was back on the flowers and Sans was back in his bed. 

_This is it... one last run...._ She thought as she stared up at the sunlight that seemed to mock her.

**I’m gonna burn my house down**

**Into an ugly black**

The only two she could talk to about any of this... they both hated her for their own reasons. She pushed herself up and headed out of the room to where she saw Flowey.

“I’m sorry about everything Flowey... I won’t bug you anymore.” The flower looked at her oddly, caught off guard by her words only to be left stunned when she planted a soft kiss on his head before walking off. Had she just.... but why? It seemed... so out of place. Frisk hugged Toriel tightly when she saw her.

“I know we don’t know each other very well... but you’re mom to me... and... I want you to do me a favor... Tell Undyne to confess to Alphys and not hold anything back... Tell Alphys that she’s the greatest scientist in the underground and that everyone likes her for who she is no matter the mistakes she’s made.... Tell Papyrus to never change no matter what anyone says... and... Tell Sans I’m sorry and to find the echo field. He’ll know what I mean.” Toriel looked down at the human before her in confusion. What was going on? Before she could open her mouth to ask, Frisk broke away from her and ran down the basement.

“My child!” She called after Frisk, but it was too late. She couldn’t bear having to explain anything or to see her mom cry. 

**I’m gonna run away and never look back**

**And never look back**

**And never look back**

Sans sighed as he climbed out of his bed. _another reset...._ He wondered why she’d reset so soon, but did it really matter? He slipped on his usual clothes. The only up side to resets was not ever having to do laundry because the stuff from yesterday was clean again every reset. So he didn’t have to bother his brother or anything with cleaning his clothes as he just continued to wear the same thing day in and day out. He was surprised when he heard his phone ringing. A phone call? This early? He wondered who could possibly be calling. Especially since a lot of monsters didn’t actually have his number.

“hello?” 

“Oh thank goodness!” 

“uh... who am i talking to?”

“Sorry, I’m the lady behind the door you talk to every day. We never exchanged names... t-that doesn’t matter now. It’s about a human.” Frisk? 

“so a human fell down?” What was she up to now? Was she starting a genocide run again? _i swear if she’s hurt someone again she’s going to have a bad time._ It didn’t travel through his tone, but he was scared, this was completely different from the usual routine.

“Yes! They said the most strangest of things to me too before they ran off... the child knew who all of us were... she called me mom and hugged me and then she suddenly started talking about how I needed to tell Captain Undyne to confess to Alphys and a bunch of other things about the others. She kept saying sorry near the end and mentioned to tell Sans that she was sorry and to go to the echo field, whatever that means.” There was a long stretch of silence.

“Hello? ... Hello? Are you still there?”

“yeah, sorry. there’s somethin’ i gotta do. thanks for calling.” He hung up the phone.

**Never look back**

**Never look back**

**Never look back**

He teleported to the echo fields.

“frisk! this better not be some trick to get me here by myself! you better get out here and explain yourself!” Silence met his call. He frowned, there was no one here but him. “great. now what? am i supposed to do something?” He looked around, why the heck had she wanted him here? Furthermore, why had he come? He had said he hated her but... He walked near an echo flower. Frisk’s voice nearly made him jump.

“I can record things here, since I’ve no way else to. First Expedition... I got stumped about how to free everyone but Flowey was helpful so I reset at the barrier. I went back for a “better ending” as he had mentioned. I had to do a load, I don’t think anyone really noticed.” Why had Frisk sent him here? Had she recorded all of the various times she had done a reset.

“this is what you sent me here for? a freakin wild goose chase? what the hell kid...” 

“Expedition 52... I’m still here again... why do I keep getting sent back?” 

“sent back? what are you playing at kid, we all know the truth. you’re just keeping us here for you own sick little amusement.” He scoffed.

“Expedition 89 ... I wish I hadn’t done that. I thought Chara was going to help no... *sob* ... I’m so so so so so so so sorry...” He glanced away from that flower, that was the day his friend had died. The girl he’d befriended had no longer existed. The day he had realized he couldn’t trust her. Had he been wrong about her not regretting it?

**What the hell’s going on?**

**Can someone tell me please**

**Why I’m changing faster than the channels on TV**

“Expedition 329... I found something, I think. In the True Lab, but I’m not sure what exactly it is that I’ve found yet.” 

“Expedition 562... I finally figured it out, but it's going to take two more resets to get there. I’m not sure why or what force is at work on this door, but that’s how it works.” What was she looking for? What door? He felt uneasy, he had gotten to know Frisk over time, her thoughts and feelings. He had thought he had known her until that day she had betrayed him. Killed his brother. He had tried telling his brother one time, but Papyrus had just laughed at the notion and said that Sans must have been having a nightmare and that he, the Great Papyrus, was too cool to die to a human. It had frustrated him to no end that not even his brother would believe him. That was when he’d come to the field to vent.... Because the one person who had always given him hope, had suddenly turned on everyone, like it was just some game. He missed his friend, but he’d never said that... would anything be different if he did? 

“Expedition 831... I got in only to find books; there must be something else down here. Why else would this room be so hard to get into? I read something about a machine that could break the barrier if a human soul is used. It is a last resort... I couldn’t... well, no... Maybe I can , but I don’t think- .. never mind. It doesn’t matter. I don’t matter.” His normal grin faltered.

**What the hell’s going on?**

**Can someone tell me please**

**Why I’m changing faster than the channels on TV**

She couldn’t have found it... could she? He didn’t want to think that it was possible, but she had spent so many times going through the same adventure over and over, trying to find anything different... always trying to stay so positive despite that things were repeating like a broken record. That last one... she thought she didn’t matter? Where had that come from? She had never shown any sign of thinking anything like that... maybe it was just a bad day? He didn’t know. He had never seen her be anything but positive... even when he’d turned on her after that reset she’d killed. She had run to him after he had killed her, so full of anger and hatred for her from that run he had killed her instantly right after... and several times after that, but she had kept coming back. She had tried to tell him about Chara and had begged him to forgive her for the mistake, but he hadn’t listened. He’d only pushed her away, asking her to stop lying and to take responsibility for her actions. She had fallen silent on the subject since.

Why hadn’t she told him about the door? _she did come to you, you idiot... but you refused to listen to her. you refused to be there for her._ The next flower was softer than the others.

“I know you’re just a flower... but can I tell you some things? ... I must sound like an idiot, expecting you to talk back. I just... I wish for once someone would see me... would... try to understand me. I know everything there is to know about Sans, Papyrus, Undyne... Alphys... even Mettaton and all the rest, but... no one as ever gotten to really know me. I’m just a pawn.” He could hear his own words in the background of this one. Things he hadn’t dared say to her, but had said aloud to vent his anger at everything. He hadn’t meant any of it... why was she so quiet? Why hadn’t he ever thought to ask anything about her? About who she was... why she was even down here... had she fallen accidentally or had she jumped? He knew why he hadn’t... he was afraid of what some of those answers might be.

**I’m black**

**Then I’m white**

**No! Something isn’t right!**

Why had he been so stupid? He could have asked if she had friends or family. Surely she did and she missed them... _this place... it’s a prison for her too... why did i not see that before? you idiot... you’ve been wrapped up so much in your own pursuits to get everyone out that you failed to see what was right in front of you this whole time..._ The thoughts burned into him, she had to live with the consequences of whatever she did while all the others relived everything in blind oblivion. Unaware of the hell that their friend was going through. He should have noticed... He just stood next to the flower in silence. How could he have been so blind? _this whole time... she never gave up on us... she’s always been trying to free us... she was crying out for help and i pushed her away just because of what happened one time..._ Sans felt shame and anger at himself for not realizing the truth... for all the things he had said about her to these flowers. He had broken his promise to Toriel after that one timeline. He needed to amend that and uphold the promise he had made to protect the human. 

Sans teleported to the True Lab, he sneezed the moment he arrived as dust was kicked up around him. This place really needed a bit more cleaning. Where was she? 

“kid?!” He called out, no answer. He ran through the rooms in search of her. Hoping that the machine she had been talking about wasn’t the one he feared it to be. He ducked through various hallways and rooms until he ran into one where he found an open staircase that was wide open.

“oh no.” 

**My enemy’s invisible**

**I don’t know how to fight**

He hurried down the steps. It should have been dark, but it wasn’t. He froze on the steps. She stood in front of a machine at the other end of the room. The room was littered with empty tanks, scattered notes and vials that were empty or half empty of various liquids. This had been Gaster’s secret lab. Where he had conducted experiments on human souls. The machine she stood in front of was so large in size that it made Frisk look like an ant by a shoe.

“kid.” 

“Don’t worry Sans, it will be quick. It will be all over and you’ll be free... free to live on the surface... Free of me.”

“frisk do-” The hum of the machine cut him off as the soul was accepted into the slot. Shooting from the small window door into the machine itself. His eye lights went out as he rushed forward as Frisk simply collapsed. He barely caught her, keeping her from hitting the floor.

**The trembling fear**

**Is more than I can take**

**When I’m up against**

**The echo in the mirror**

“no no no no.... frisk.... talk to me kiddo...” The machine revved and there was a sound like glass shattering in the distance. A screen nearby flashed a message:

The barrier has broken. 

Sans was staring at Frisk.

“c’mon kid. don’t do this to me... to us.. please... “ He hugged her close as the machine powered down, but Frisk did not move. She was gone. _damn it... this was... all my fault..._ What was he going to tell Papyrus and the others? What would they think? He felt the weight of it all come crashing down on him.

**The trembling fear**

**Is more than I can take**

**When I’m up against**

**The echo in the mirror**

“please frisk... i... i know i was a jerk... i never should have said any of that. i’ll do anything... just... don’t... don’t leave me...” Silence was all there was to hear before the comedian broke down to tears. 

  
  
  
  
  


my name is sorrow... 

and that is how my story begins. 


End file.
